Many people are now commenting on Pope Francis’ recent papal paper, Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”). Even though clearly it comes from a Catholic, I personally find that much, if not most, of what the Pope puts forth is good for all Christians. And maybe some of the material is good for any person of any religious tradition. I like to read the various commentator’s opinion. They often see things differently than I do. And they have different kinds of backgrounds and education, so they can bring forth things I could never do. They enrich my look at the papal document.
One commentator, Brian Flanigan, has written one I really like. He entitles it, “In ‘Gaudete et Exsultate,’ Francis calls on us a journey of ‘small holiness.’” Flanigan teaches theology at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. This personally intrigues me because that means he works about two miles from where my daughter lives! Now that I like what kind of work he does, I will have to visit.
It is clear Flanigan has read many more other commentators than I have. One observation he makes interests me. “Whether with glee or despair, some of the quick reads have made too much of the supposed discontinuity between Pope Francis and his predecessors,” he notes. Flanigan wants to argue that Pope Francis is in many ways a very traditional Catholic. For example, he observes, “This ‘cool pope’ remains a deeply traditional Roman Catholic bishop.” In many ways I agree with Flanigan. While I very much like much of what Pope Francis has done, there are others things I wish he would say and do---but I don’t think he will. And I am sure he will not ask me for my advice!
Having said that, Flanigan then makes an astute point, about which I never would have thought. I quote the longish paragraph. “Nevertheless, the fact that Pope Francis felt the need to write an entire letter re-proposing a teaching last proposed only 50 years ago at the Second Vatican Council suggests he thought that teaching needed ‘re-upping’ on the screens of the church's life; that teaching, deeply traditional and yet arguably one of the most powerful innovations of the council for our understandings of holiness and of the church, is Lumen Gentium's teaching on the universal call to holiness. Like the council itself, Francis is most radical in being so traditional, in going back to the roots of our Christian tradition.” Let me unpack this.
While I have read much of the literature from Vatican II, I am not on top of it like most Catholic theologians would be. You may not remember or be old enough to remember that Vatican II was called by Pope John XXIII and who opened the sessions in 1962. Pope John did not live to see the Council completed, which happened in 1965. This Council significantly transformed the Catholic Church. It has been significant for me, because it made the Catholic Church something to which I feel an affinity and in many ways want to be part of it.
So when Flanigan connected Pope Francis’ most recent writing with Vatican II, it made perfect sense. And it endears me to Francis even more. I like how Flanigan says the Pope felt the need to “re-up” a particular teaching from Vatican II. That teaching focuses on holiness. Flanigan calls the Vatican II perspective on holiness “deeply traditional.” I can see this. In some ways this perspective on holiness goes back to the very foundation laid by Jesus. In effect, Flanigan says Vatican II and Pope Francis both want contemporary Catholics and Christians to understand the call to holiness is a universal call. It is something all disciples are invited to be and to do.
Flanigan says that Catholics have tended to see holiness to be the purview of monks and priests. Normal people don’t have to worry about it. But this is not what Jesus had in mind. I suspect many non-Catholics think the same way as their Catholic brothers and sisters. But Pope Francis is saying we are all called to holiness---all called to live a sacred life, not a profane one. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s opening words to the Romans. We are all called to be saints.
To be a saint is not the same thing as being perfect. We probably cannot live mistake-free. But we can aim to live as close to the life that Jesus modelled as we can manage. I can’t image Jesus saying, “Don’t worry; I’m going to do it big time, but you don’t have to do it except small time.” Flanigan’s observation is perceptive. Francis “is most radical in being so traditional.” Papal radicality comes in his going back to the roots of our faith. The roots are what Jesus did and said.
Effectively, this means we are called to be radical, too. While we will probably never have a statue of ourselves put in some church or school or square, we are called on our own journey of small holiness. Finally, it is in little ways that our holiness will be lived out.
One commentator, Brian Flanigan, has written one I really like. He entitles it, “In ‘Gaudete et Exsultate,’ Francis calls on us a journey of ‘small holiness.’” Flanigan teaches theology at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. This personally intrigues me because that means he works about two miles from where my daughter lives! Now that I like what kind of work he does, I will have to visit.
It is clear Flanigan has read many more other commentators than I have. One observation he makes interests me. “Whether with glee or despair, some of the quick reads have made too much of the supposed discontinuity between Pope Francis and his predecessors,” he notes. Flanigan wants to argue that Pope Francis is in many ways a very traditional Catholic. For example, he observes, “This ‘cool pope’ remains a deeply traditional Roman Catholic bishop.” In many ways I agree with Flanigan. While I very much like much of what Pope Francis has done, there are others things I wish he would say and do---but I don’t think he will. And I am sure he will not ask me for my advice!
Having said that, Flanigan then makes an astute point, about which I never would have thought. I quote the longish paragraph. “Nevertheless, the fact that Pope Francis felt the need to write an entire letter re-proposing a teaching last proposed only 50 years ago at the Second Vatican Council suggests he thought that teaching needed ‘re-upping’ on the screens of the church's life; that teaching, deeply traditional and yet arguably one of the most powerful innovations of the council for our understandings of holiness and of the church, is Lumen Gentium's teaching on the universal call to holiness. Like the council itself, Francis is most radical in being so traditional, in going back to the roots of our Christian tradition.” Let me unpack this.
While I have read much of the literature from Vatican II, I am not on top of it like most Catholic theologians would be. You may not remember or be old enough to remember that Vatican II was called by Pope John XXIII and who opened the sessions in 1962. Pope John did not live to see the Council completed, which happened in 1965. This Council significantly transformed the Catholic Church. It has been significant for me, because it made the Catholic Church something to which I feel an affinity and in many ways want to be part of it.
So when Flanigan connected Pope Francis’ most recent writing with Vatican II, it made perfect sense. And it endears me to Francis even more. I like how Flanigan says the Pope felt the need to “re-up” a particular teaching from Vatican II. That teaching focuses on holiness. Flanigan calls the Vatican II perspective on holiness “deeply traditional.” I can see this. In some ways this perspective on holiness goes back to the very foundation laid by Jesus. In effect, Flanigan says Vatican II and Pope Francis both want contemporary Catholics and Christians to understand the call to holiness is a universal call. It is something all disciples are invited to be and to do.
Flanigan says that Catholics have tended to see holiness to be the purview of monks and priests. Normal people don’t have to worry about it. But this is not what Jesus had in mind. I suspect many non-Catholics think the same way as their Catholic brothers and sisters. But Pope Francis is saying we are all called to holiness---all called to live a sacred life, not a profane one. I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s opening words to the Romans. We are all called to be saints.
To be a saint is not the same thing as being perfect. We probably cannot live mistake-free. But we can aim to live as close to the life that Jesus modelled as we can manage. I can’t image Jesus saying, “Don’t worry; I’m going to do it big time, but you don’t have to do it except small time.” Flanigan’s observation is perceptive. Francis “is most radical in being so traditional.” Papal radicality comes in his going back to the roots of our faith. The roots are what Jesus did and said.
Effectively, this means we are called to be radical, too. While we will probably never have a statue of ourselves put in some church or school or square, we are called on our own journey of small holiness. Finally, it is in little ways that our holiness will be lived out.
Comments
Post a Comment